It's not just Republicans who are running against their party leaders in an unsettled election year. In Ohio, former Democratic Rep. Charlie Wilson is trying to win back his old job from Republican Rep. Bill Johnson by stepping away from President Barack Obama and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

In a new spot airing on local cable, Wilson's campaign accuses Johnson of falsely linking Wilson to party leaders. The spot contends that Wilson, who represented Ohio's 6th District for two terms, actually voted against Pelosi's wishes more than 100 times, that he opposed her "cap and trade tax," and that he opposed Obama's "bad trade deals."

The Ohio district, which abuts the Appalachians of West Virginia and Kentucky, leans conservative, but its voters value independence and have bounced between Democratic and Republican congressmen. The ad also notes that Wilson opposed President George W. Bush's plan to "privatize Social Security" and then criticizes Johnson for backing Rep. Paul Ryan's budget plan that would have turned Medicare into a private, voucher-like program.